Archive for Disyembre, 2007

The question was asked by our Music Ministry Head during our devotion yesterday(during our 2nd service). Our fellow members answered some specific worship service where they were blessed by the songs, the way worship leader leads, the line-up, etc.. One answered that he was able to worship even his intrument is not heard through the big, loud speakers.

I did not speak. My answer is very similar to others. The best worship i had this year happened last December 9. Bro. Jun Godornes led us in worship. The songs were nice. The voices were excellent! The intruments were complete. Grand Piano, Kulintang, Flute, Rondalla.. name it..we had it.. the sounds made were great.. It was an excellent worship! I sensed that our worship rose above the Heaven as a Sweet Aroma before our Creator.

Did i get the correct answer? hehe.. I doubt my answer then. There could be a best answer for that question. Hmmm…

What if the answer is NOW? hehe..

As music ministers, we should have a new perspective with this question. The Best Worship is not in the past. It is the next worship prayformance 😉 Today’s worship, I’m giving my best to God as if this is my last worship to Him. In every worship, one must be in his/her “performance level”. Life is short. It is possible that next Sunday wont come. Or the next Midweek Service. Or the next morning. 😉

Today, I’m giving my best worship. Tomorrow, i will give my “best of the best” worship!

Last Friday, i went to my old home in Sta. Cruz, Manila. I found my old journal there. I will share my devotion dated November 18, 2005

Reading : Isaiah 28:23-29

Consider the farmer: He not only plows the ground, he keeps on breaking and harrowing the soil. When the surface is leveled, he would plant the seeds. Wait. Harvest. The same with the believers of Jesus. Hardships, Sufferings, they make us mature and strong. God will not give us things that we can’t bear. The farmer waits for the harvest so the believers of Jesus. We can be assured that we have a Wonderful in counsel and magnificent in Wisdom God. The things or circumstances we have right now are ways of God for us to be more dependent on Him. Serving God maybe hard. But one day, He will say, “Well done. My good and faithful servant!”

Few weeks ago, i shared a voice recording of Logan, the Skyangel Cowboy who called a radio station to share his lessons in life…He said, “God can use you even if you feel lonely…God can use you” Let’s watch this video courtesy of cbn news and Godtube =)

Few weeks ago, i shared a voice recording of Logan, the Skyangel Cowboy who called a radio station to share his lessons in life…He said, “God can use you even if you feel lonely…God can use you” Let’s watch this video courtesy of cbn news and Godtube =)

my brother noli has something to share about Thy Marketplace’s Gift-giving last Saturday and his worship last Sunday at Day by Day Christian Ministries.

hi guys,let me just share you the experience i had during the gift giving activity last saturday along with our other workers for the Lord…the yearly activity once again reminded me of my humble beginning years back…i could have opted to spend the weekends with my family, but reaching out to those less fortunate in life has brought bliss to my soul.. with our measly gift, around 30 or 20 pesos plus the food package of sandwich, one china apple, jellyace, and funchum juice, hundreds of smiles hovered the place even just for few minutes… undoubtedly, the ecstatic moment surely transcended to the angels above as children excitedly opened their gifts….it was really fulfilling to have a noble cause like it… the more i was inspired to strive more in order to start a benevolent undertaking in the near future…it was also revelead to me by the Lord that, what we have sometimes could not be equated to happiness or a shield to sadness, but by mere sharing our lives, in order to connect to those person in need, is what He’s been asking for… my two days stay at manila gave me the opportunity to broke my routine since i joined my bsp family last january… as far as i can remember, the last time i spent my weekends in manila was sometime in june when i also participated a GK activity at muntinlupa… comes sunday…..my sunday was comparably worthy with me attending at Day by Day at Folk Arts Theater with Bren… (tnx Bren) i witnessed how God conquered the lives of many across ages…young children has already been serving the Lord with their talents, dancing and singing, passionately in front of thousands attendees… much to my sight delight was my yearning to hear the word delivered by no less than Pastor Ed Lapiz…the sharing was all about how Jacob deceived his father Isaac, that could be found at the book of Genesis…we might all be familiar with the story but lots of new learning came to me as i attentively listen and heatfully digest every insights that came from the Lord… after the service, i decided not to join the Christmas party of bren and company at dampa, though i was invited..the options of either heading to MOA or playing badminton after having lunch crossed in my mind… at the doorsteps of folk arts, bren and I bought a newly published book of Pastor Ed entitled Happines is Relationship back to back with Happines is Attitude… it is only a single book with two different genres with biblical adaptations and logical applications to our lives upon looking happiness… it costed me 100 bucks and we have it authographed by pastor Ed himself… =) it was the idea of bren though..impatiently looking for a PUV to buendia, (which there was none pala in that area) i took a cab and reached MOA… i dined at El Polo Loco and while waiting for my food, i was having a glance at my newly acquired reading.. it caught my interest and unnoticeably, ive finished almost half of the part of Happiness is Relationship…(sounds frustrated..hehehe) i continued to delight myself with the possible gift
to myself and to my loved ones but i failed to get even a single item..hehehe… tnx God for the reminder about Threats of Live during the church service… i could have impulsively swiped my magnetic card again…further, i spent few minutes at powerbooks, but i didnt see my desired item, likewise…. i still played badminton, finished reading the the book half part of the book, talked to my friend over the phone for nearly two hours, worked for my ministry, and finally slept…my life became sweeter than before!!!!

Im dying of end-stage Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia.. a cancer of the immune system.. My doctors told me i only have a few months to live.. But who are they? they didn’t create me, did they? They did not master every part of my body as what my maker have mastered..

I only realized my disease 3 mos ago.. I was honestly not ready for the news i was about to receive.. At that time, I had 8 mos to live.. The doctors suggested several ways of having cure to this disease but they were all useless.. it only brought more pain to the body that had already been painful.. WM has no cure.. at first i started asking God why.. why has this happened to me? but little by little im seeing light at the end of this dark tunnel i am walking through.. i no longer see myself 5 or 10 years from now.. that is too far from reality.. i know my frail body will not last that long..

but this disease had given me a new perspective in life.. it gave me reason to thank God for every single breath i take and every morning i see with my failing eyes.. i come to appreciate the leaves falling the the roses beside my hospital bed.. i learned to love my parents more.. say i love you to those i really love.. and appreciate every single and simple things people important to me are doing.. knowing that i may not be able to that again.. or perhaps tomorrow..

i have now come to accept my condition.. i know from my heart of hearts that God has a better purpose for me.. oh how i pray that my testimony may change lives and make people realize how short our live are.. it is short because no one can be sure that they are still alive tomorrow..

i am not praying for long life for my sake.. i am praying for long life so that other people may come to realize the same realizations i had while im on my hospital bed.. i am not praying for healing for myself.. i am praying for healing to those people that have long more years to live and can do lots of change to other people and their community.. i am not praying for miracle for myself.. i am praying for miracle to those people who knows me or read this post that they may realize their potential in Christ to be used for his greater glory, before its too late..

i wanted to write lots of things here.. but that seems to be boring to read.. so as you finish reading some parts of my life, i dont want you to pray for me.. I WANT YOU TO PRAY FOR YOURSELF.. what have you done for Christ lately? when was the last time you became a blessing to your family and brethren? my friend there is only one difference between you and me.. I have 5 more months to live.. but you don’t know how long or how short you’ll live.. i pray that you would start acting right here right now.. i don’t need to know you’re a christian.. i need to SEE that you’re a christian..

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you, depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems, rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change.. Is God trying to get your attention? “Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.” Proverbs 20:30

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you People are like tea bags if you want to know what’s inside them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you? “When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.” James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It’s likely that as a child, your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something… health, money, a relationship … by losing it. “It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws.” Psalm 119:71-72

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem, but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management’s actions were eventually discovered. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” Genesis 50:20

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship with God and your character are the only two things you’re going to take with you into eternity. “We can rejoice when we run into problems… they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us, and helps us trust God more each time we use it, until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.” Romans 5:3-4

Here’s the point: God is at work in your life even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it’s much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him. “Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way”

LIFE IS AN ECHO. What you send out, you get back. What you give, you receive. WHEN YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS, YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOURSELF.

this is quite long, but i assure you, this is worth your time.enjoy… ^^,)

A Love Letter in the midst of a Hold-up.. hehe 😛

It was the finals week of my second year in second year college…So in short, it was the most toxic, huggardness… and nosebleed season of the semester.

I was on my way to spend another whole night at the computer shop of Morayta, to interpret another psychological test… (ang walang katausang psych test *-*)On my way I had an intuition that I will experience a hold up. That was really weird and scary because I had all my money in my wallet. So in short, pag nahold up ako… patay nah… finals pa naman… hehe 😛

But I was reminded of the prayer of protection prayed in the Lord’s prayer, so I prayed, “Lord, protect me from the evil one.”

At the computer shop, it was so weird that the counter assigned me to use the computer na nasa pinakadulo… it was so unusual kasi wala pa namang tao and ang dami pang bakante sa unahan… but I don’t know, I just followed.

It was getting late and I was thinking if I should go home, or else uumagahin nanaman ako. Now, the system of the computer shop is that their charge is fixed per hour. So if you would exceed even just a minute that would be equivalent to a rate of an hour… (hmm.. sigurista…)

I was watching a very nice video but I asked God, “Lord, log-out na koh?”… (so, pati yun tinatanong kay God… wahaha) but the video was really good so I decided to watch it again…

I thought that was just a dream, pero totoo eh -,-… naku, what shall I do? First time ko kayang mahold-up… good thing na nasa dulo ako, others has been preparing what they could give while I am thinking how could I outwit the holdapper… (lahat kaya ng pera ko nakasalalay dito… hallleeer…pang projects ko kaya toh…)

I cant even pray sobrang taranta… but good na nasa dulo ko so the holdapper was in a hurry na… so he didn’t had to expect me but ask whatever I could give. The guy besides was so threatened that he gave all his money, (am I nuts to do that?). but how, alangan namang bukan ko yung wallet ko ate Makita nyang may tinabi ako… o kaya, humingi ako ng sukli… hekhekhek (bright idea bay un.. wahahaha!!!!)

Sakto, I have two twenty peso bill sa bulsa ng bag koh, which I gave… and he seemed to be satisfied with that, syempre, and dami na nyang nalimos sa mga nauna sakin eh… so nakaligtas ako..

When the holdapper was about to leave, may pahabol pa yung katabi koh… “kuya, penge namang pamasahe….” Ah ganun ba, oh eto… the holdaper gave him my twenty peso bills…

When the holdappers left, all of us were devastated and shocked. Their phones and money were carried off by two robbers who threatened us of our lives. It such an irony, I was the only one crying.. the cashier asked me, anung nakuha sayo… wala po… eh bakit ka umiiyak… I was crying because of the video that was playing through out that event…

I just realized that if have logged out when I thought of doing so, I would be paying to the cashier by the time the robbers have come. And the holdaper at the cashier actually had a gun. If I have been there, siguradong nakuha lahat ng money koh… natutukan pa ko ng baril…

I may not have been able to pray during the time when the robbers were there. But I praise God, that somehow, He already showed me what would happen and so I have prayed even before the event happened. I felt that I was indeed, protected, more so, sheltered and loved. I have realized, God is really in control of every second of ourlives!

PS…

This is the video, that have caused me to stay, the video God used to spare me.And the video, which I have accidentally seen at the youtube ngayon, which prompted me to write this story…

You know what, the essence of this story is just a fourth of the thrill and excitement you would feel if you would just watch this video.

this is quite long, but i assure you, this is worth your time.enjoy… ^^,)

A Love Letter in the midst of a Hold-up.. hehe 😛

It was the finals week of my second year in second year college…So in short, it was the most toxic, huggardness… and nosebleed season of the semester.

I was on my way to spend another whole night at the computer shop of Morayta, to interpret another psychological test… (ang walang katausang psych test *-*)On my way I had an intuition that I will experience a hold up. That was really weird and scary because I had all my money in my wallet. So in short, pag nahold up ako… patay nah… finals pa naman… hehe 😛

But I was reminded of the prayer of protection prayed in the Lord’s prayer, so I prayed, “Lord, protect me from the evil one.”

At the computer shop, it was so weird that the counter assigned me to use the computer na nasa pinakadulo… it was so unusual kasi wala pa namang tao and ang dami pang bakante sa unahan… but I don’t know, I just followed.

It was getting late and I was thinking if I should go home, or else uumagahin nanaman ako. Now, the system of the computer shop is that their charge is fixed per hour. So if you would exceed even just a minute that would be equivalent to a rate of an hour… (hmm.. sigurista…)

I was watching a very nice video but I asked God, “Lord, log-out na koh?”… (so, pati yun tinatanong kay God… wahaha) but the video was really good so I decided to watch it again…

I thought that was just a dream, pero totoo eh -,-… naku, what shall I do? First time ko kayang mahold-up… good thing na nasa dulo ako, others has been preparing what they could give while I am thinking how could I outwit the holdapper… (lahat kaya ng pera ko nakasalalay dito… hallleeer…pang projects ko kaya toh…)

I cant even pray sobrang taranta… but good na nasa dulo ko so the holdapper was in a hurry na… so he didn’t had to expect me but ask whatever I could give. The guy besides was so threatened that he gave all his money, (am I nuts to do that?). but how, alangan namang bukan ko yung wallet ko ate Makita nyang may tinabi ako… o kaya, humingi ako ng sukli… hekhekhek (bright idea bay un.. wahahaha!!!!)

Sakto, I have two twenty peso bill sa bulsa ng bag koh, which I gave… and he seemed to be satisfied with that, syempre, and dami na nyang nalimos sa mga nauna sakin eh… so nakaligtas ako..

When the holdapper was about to leave, may pahabol pa yung katabi koh… “kuya, penge namang pamasahe….” Ah ganun ba, oh eto… the holdaper gave him my twenty peso bills…

When the holdappers left, all of us were devastated and shocked. Their phones and money were carried off by two robbers who threatened us of our lives. It such an irony, I was the only one crying.. the cashier asked me, anung nakuha sayo… wala po… eh bakit ka umiiyak… I was crying because of the video that was playing through out that event…

I just realized that if have logged out when I thought of doing so, I would be paying to the cashier by the time the robbers have come. And the holdaper at the cashier actually had a gun. If I have been there, siguradong nakuha lahat ng money koh… natutukan pa ko ng baril…

I may not have been able to pray during the time when the robbers were there. But I praise God, that somehow, He already showed me what would happen and so I have prayed even before the event happened. I felt that I was indeed, protected, more so, sheltered and loved. I have realized, God is really in control of every second of ourlives!

PS…

This is the video, that have caused me to stay, the video God used to spare me.And the video, which I have accidentally seen at the youtube ngayon, which prompted me to write this story…

You know what, the essence of this story is just a fourth of the thrill and excitement you would feel if you would just watch this video.